Pgh NORML Meeting Next Thursday!

Oh, what a difference a month can make

Where should I even start? Last month I contacted the new Pittsburgh NORML, which is located downtown. After describing my project to Patrick Nightingale, the NORML director, we decided on a bunch of different projects to help NORML get off the ground. The first action I took was to interview him, which I will soon edit and post on their website. I will also help in the building of their website as well as helping to find a meeting place for members each month. I've contacted the Beehive in southside, so hopefully that will work out. Also, I started to create the flyer to recruit members. I'm also planning to work with NORML in setting up a table somewhere to pass out information and get people involved. We also need to start raising money so we can help the other chapters in their efforts to get medical marijuana in Pittsburgh. I'm feeling really good, and theres much work to be done, but I'll keep you posted.

Maybe they will legalize marijuana?

Tommorow, many leaders from across the globe are meeting here, in Pittsburgh, to talk about how to fix the world economy. Maybe someone should tell them if they legalized marijuana, a new industry for cannabis textiles, plastics, medications and fuel would greatly help many of the problems that plague America and the world. Also, the G20 leaders will discuss solutions for pollution and global warming. If hemp replaced tree paper and plastic from petroluem couldn't this contribute to the solution? Ah, what am I saying, its ridiculous to think so outside the box... but is it really?

A Stroke of Luck?

I've been working two jobs this break, so I haven't had much time to work on my grad project (or anything else). I did pay off my library card and rented a new book called "Just Say Know: Buzzed". It has a huge chapter on everything about cannabis, from its scientifical compents, to its history and legality. I've also tried getting in contact with the local Pittsburgh chapter of NORML, which has just been recently founded and is still in beggining stages. This is gonna help my project tremendously because NORML is THE place to go to learn about and support alternative cannabis policies. I'm hoping I can volunteer for this chapter and possibly interview some of the staff. Maybe even they will help me with my action project. That's it for now.
Peace,
Julia

An interview with the big cheese

So today Billy and I interviewed our head administrator, Dr. Werthhiemer. The reason we did a duel interview is because Billy's project is about teenage abuse of marijuana while mine is examining cannabis policies. It was scheduled for yesterday, but I was taking care of my grandma and had to reschedule. The interview was great though, and I learned many interesting things about my topic and Dr. Werthhiemer. He is very knowledgable and has a Master's degree in alcohol and drug abuse counseling. He has alot of experience with the topic because as an educator, he knows how it affects students differently and how it becomes a problem for some. I respect his opinions and feel like I gained alot of info and opinions I can add to my project.

Wacky Mondays!

It's only 11 in the morning, but already its been a busy day. This is my last full week of school, and then I am a senior! My project is going well, and recently my bestest buddy Mike has shown me a movie called Super High Me. I know, the title is ridiculous, but it is about a comedian who abstains from marijuana for 30 days, then smokes non stop for 30 days. It included many interesting facts and showed stories of what is going on in California with medical marijuana. It was nice to finally see visually what was going on rather than reading about it, so I will have many notes about current events involving my topic. I'll probably start taking notes on it this weekend, but for now, I still have to finish reading my book before its due at the library. Also, I was thinking of going to Market Square to set up a table with pamphlets, letters to our representatives people can sign showing their support and a survey. I'll keep you posted, and thanks to everyone for following my blog!
Peace
Julia

I've struck gold!... kinda

Today I finished working on my interview questions for the Western PA NORML director and my school administrator Dr. Wertheimer. I also went to the Carnegie Library on Tuesday where I found some really good books on the history and controversy of cannabis policies. My friend let my rent out the book Marijuana: Opposing Viewpoints. Already I'm starting to love this book. It presents the controversy in such an informitive and unbiased way, I'll probably gain the majority of my information from here. I still have more research and interview questions to create for three more interviewees, but I made a lot of progress this week I hope to continue. Check ya later!
Peace,
Julia

Is thesisize a word?

Well I had to thesisize my essential question from the research I have found. My project thesis is adopting alternative cannabis policies can benefit our economy, healthcare system and environment. To prove this, I will need to continue research on what the alternative policies are, how they impact those three parts of society, and how the current policies are negatively impacting them. My notes are coming along nicely, and I should be completely done by next week. For now, I'm going on a 5 day vacation to see my family in Virginia, so...
Peace,
Julia

Notes, Notes and more Notes

Today I answered two more of my foundation questions. I found some interesting actions taking place across our country from people hoping to legalize, decriminalize, or allow the medicinal use of marijuana. I also got a chance to talk to the director of the Pittsburgh chapter for NORML and I have set up an interview with him. For now, I am continuing my notes and working on interview questions.
Peace,
Julia

I should just get a bluetooth...

For the past two days, I have been trying to contact people to interview for my project. Two proffesionals I have called were Joe Deluca and Dave Sabol, police chiefs for their counties (Rochester and Ambridge, respectively). I want to interview them because they made statements in an article I found at . They believe Pennsylvania should decriminalize cannabis because it is more costly and unnessesary to prosecute people with small amounts. They still believe people with large amounts should be prosecuted for drug dealing, bu those who use it should not be targeted. Dave Sabol no longer works with his police force, but Officer Deluca tried to contact me while I was in school. I called him again, but he was unavailable. I also contacted Mark Cohen, a representative for PA that has introduced a bill to allow medical marijuna in our state. I left a message with his secretary, but I'm not sure how willing he will be to talk with me since he is in Philidelphia. That's all for now!
Peace,
Julia

A blog a day keeps ms. savido at bay

Right now I'm working on finding interview subjects to get background information for my foundation questions. I've been trying to find people in Pittsburgh, but a Philidelphia representitive who is pushing for medical marijuana in Pennsylvania could provide alot of info. Others I found so far were police chiefs who believe Pittsburgh should decriminialize marijuana, the Pittsburgh chapter of NORML, and my counselor at school, Mr. Kalieda who already volunteered for an interview. The only expert I need to find is someone in the medical field. For now, I will continue my research on these people and try to start scheduling the interviews and creating the questions next week. That's it for now!
Peace,
Julia

Muy Interesante!

Today my laptop was badly injured in a dangerous collision, so I decided to focus on note taking while it is being repaired. When I started researching a foundation question, I found this brilliant site http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Why_is_marijuana_illegal that completely answered my question in full detail and gave me a lead on some of my other questions. I'm pretty excited about some of the info I found.I also found these interesting facts from the site http://rodolphepilaert63.wordpress.com/2008/06/02/the-hearst-company-dupont-cannabis-conspiration/ about hemp (fiber made from stems of cannabis sativa:

• In 1916, the U.S. Government predicted that by the 1940s all paper would come from hemp and that no more trees need to be cut down. Government studies report that 1 acre of hemp equals 4.1 acres of trees. Plans were in the works to implement such programs; Department of Agriculture
• Oldest known records of hemp farming go back 5000 years in China, although hemp industrialization probably goes back to ancient Egypt
• The first Bibles, maps, charts, Betsy Ross’s flag, the first drafts of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution were made from hemp; U.S. Government Archives
• 80% of all textiles, fabrics, clothes, linen, drapes, bed sheets, etc. were made from hemp until the 1820s with the introduction of the cotton gin
• For thousands of years, 90% of all ships’ sails and rope were made from hemp. The word ‘canvas’ is Dutch for cannabis
• “I grew Hemp”, George Washington
• REFUSING TO GROW HEMP in America during the 17th and 18th Centuries WAS AGAINST THE LAW! You could be jailed in Virginia for refusing to grow hemp from 1763 to 1769; Hemp in Colonial Virginia, G. M. Herdon

Presentation Week

Today was the last week of presentations for our proposal, and I heard alot of interesting topics. Alot of them are very unique and coming along nicely. I wish my presentation could have been better, but I think I did the best I could with the time I was given. Today I'm going to try and see if I can get some interview subjects and a local organization that promotes alternative cannabis policies. That's it for now, ttyl!
Peace,
Julia

No such thing as a lazy Sunday...

Today I finished my timeline and even came up with a couple new action proposals along the way. In addition to sending a packet to local senators and politicians, I will also write an editoral to two major newspapers in Pittsburgh. Another idea I have is to use a video sharing site to create a profile for my project. There I will make videos detailing the history, impact and current controversy surround cannabis. With that I hope to reach the most people and spread as much information as I can with the research I find. This will have to be done mostly outside of school, but in the end it will be worth it since this will be a good action to present to the panel. I'm finished with my proposal for now, so its time to add a little to my notes.
Peace,
Julia

A Proposition...

Today I worked on my project proposal. After writing my draft on Monday, I got some feedback from Ms. Savido and revised my paper. I'm almost finished with the edits, so I'll probably be able to continue working on my Foundation Question notes.
Peace,
Julia

Did You Know?

• Cannabis is legal in many countries, such as Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Argentina and the Netherlands and is decriminalized in several more
• California and 11 other states have legalized medical marijuana under their state laws
• Cannabis is the largest cash crop in California, generating $14 billion a year in revenue
• Marijuana is now used by over 25 million people annually in the United States
• Since 1990, nearly 5.9 million Americans have been arrested on marijuana charges
• African-Americans account for approxiametly 13% of the US population and about 13.5% of annual marijuana users. However, blacks are over 2.5 times more likely to be arrested for possession charges than a white american
• 75% of all Americans who use marijuana never use harder drugs
• Marijuana is often used for medicinal purposes such as relief from pain, nausea, spasticity, and other symptoms
• The cannabis plant is used for paper products, food, medicines, essential oils, nutritional supplements, livestock feed, construction, body care products, molded plastics and textiles
• 10,000 acres of hemp will produce as much paper as 40,000 trees
• Until 1880, nearly 90 percent of all paper in the world was made from hemp
• The hemp seed contains no THC and is a fruit. Aside from soybeans, it is the greatest source of protein

I'M BACK!!!!

Today is my first day back from my trip to New York, and I'm beginning to start the next phase of my project. I have to create several Did You Know facts and then begin note taking to anwer my foundation questions. I'm excited about both because I love debating people, and one key element to any debate is having enough statistics in your arsenal to make it seem as if your opinion is scientifically and factually correct. You should see both postings by tommorow, but I'm not making any promises.

Peace,
Julia

To legalize or not to legalize?

Today I completed my collage (which is now at the bottom of my blog) and revised my foundation questions witht the suggestions of Ms. Savido. While finding pictures for my collage, I came across alot of historical information on the use of cannabis in many countries around the world and a little bit on the history of the marijuana prohibition. Everyone seems to have an opinion on the subject, and I'm very thankful for all of my classmates and friends giving me feedback on my poll.

Essential and Foundation Questions

Essential Question: How would the proposed marijuana policies best suit and impact the American public?

Foundation Questions:

1. What efforts are currently in progress to change marijuana policies?
2. Why was cannabis made illegal?
3. What are the medicinal uses of marijuana?
4. How has marijuana been used throughout world history?
5. What are the negative effects of marijuana?
6. What are the positive effects of marijuana?
7. How many people are punished for marijuana use annually?
8. How can the US government and citizens benefit from the taxation and regulation of cannabis?
9. What countries have alternative cannabis policies and how has it positively and negatively impacted that country?
10. What is the legal status of cannabis in every state?
11. What happens when a marijuana user in a state that has progressive cannabis policies is confronted by Federal authorities about their marijuana use?

One step at a time...

My project is coming along nicely. I already have my essential question, foundation questions, and key terms completed. I've gotten alot of feed back and ideas from my friends and Ms. Savido, and I have a pretty good idea of what I need to do in the coming weeks. Wish me luck!
Peace,
Julia

The Big Question?

Is cannabis most beneficial to society kept illegal, decriminalized, allowed for medicinal uses, or legalized? This will be the question I want to answer with my graduation project. I've found 10 websites to use for research and already I have alot of data and opinions to start looking at. I'm not sure what our next assignment is, but so far I seem to be ahead, so I'm happy.

I found my project idea!

The question I want to answer in my project is whether cannabis sativa is most beneficial to society kept illegal, decriminalized, allowed for medicinal use, or legalized? The project will include research on the plant's history, uses, impact today on society, interviews from experts on the subject, and a letter to Senatator Spector and others who can have an impact on its status as a dangerous drug. So far I already have a few experts in mind and I've got some sites listed. I'm not sure what the end product will look like, but I think it'll be good.

A shift in direction

I doubt my "Free the Water" project is gonna work. I can't find a place in Pittsburgh that will exchange plastic bottles for money and the organizations I would donate the money to don't tell you exactly what your donation is used for. Mr. Tamler has an idea for a grad project he wants someone to do that would create a questionaire on edline. I'm not sure if I'll do it yet because I still have some ideas floating in my head.

My First Blog

So today I created my blog and started thinking about different ideas for my grad project. I want my project to be something I am passionate about, so it will probably deal with a humanitarian cause or something political. One idea I have I got while I was recently in Costa Rica. There is a big controvery in the the country becuase often times water that is needed in communities are diverted to fancy hotels and tourist spots. I had the chance to work on a road in La Carpio with Nicaraguan immigrants who often get sick from the water they drink. (Above is a picture of me with some La Carpio kids) It made me feel guilty, because although my classmates and I weren't typical tourists because of our service learning, we still stayed at hotels and tourist spots in the area that are a part of the problem. Some other ideas I had was to work with the Carmen Robinson campaign as she runs for mayor or to help in the struggle to legalize or decriminilize cannibus (I'm not sure how my school will feel about that, but for now it's just an idea). Nothing is final yet, but I think I'll do a little bit more research on this topics before I decide.

Peace,

Julia